The Punisher makes his movie debut: Jon Bernthal to star in Spider-Man: Brand New Day with Tom Holland

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a sequel to 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home. This superhero film will be the fourth web-slinger flick in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Homecoming, Far From Home, and No Way Home. Tom Holland is set to reprise the role of the titular superhero, and the film will pick up from the events of the previous story.

Recently, it was reported that The Punisher is going to make his big screen debut. Jon Bernthal, who has portrayed this Marvel character, has joined the cast of Brand New Day. Let us look into more details about his casting and the film.

Jon Bernthal joins the cast of Spider-Man: Brand New Day

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The Hollywood Reporter stated that Jon Bernthal has joined the cast of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. While most of the details are under wraps, we know that the film is set to be released theatrically on July 31, 2026.

Destin Daniel Cretton is directing the film, and its shooting will take place in England later this summer. Cretton had earlier directed MCU's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers have written the script. The previous film ends on a tragic note, with the world forgetting that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. So the sequel might pick up from there.

Besides Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are also reprising their roles as MJ and Ned Leeds, respectively. In March this year, it was revealed that Sadie Sink has also joined the cast. The actress is known for her performance in Netflix's series Stranger Things.

Punisher, in the comics and television, is someone who is more of a grounded superhero. He doesn't have superpowers, but he uses guns and his physical strength to defeat the bad guys. His inclusion might hint that Spider-Man: Brand New Day is going to be more rooted in realism.

Bernthal first appeared as the Punisher in Netflix's series Daredevil and eventually headed his own show that ran for two seasons. The character will also appear in Daredevil: Born Again. While the plot details are yet to be unveiled, Holland spoke briefly about the film last year on Good Morning America. He said,

“The idea is crazy. It’s a little different to anything we’ve done before, but I think the fans are gonna really respond to it.”

Holland took on the role of the web slinger with Spider-Man: Homecoming, which was released in 2017. The 16th MCU film was directed by Jon Watts and showcases Peter Parker becoming a superhero. It had Vulture (played by Michael Keaton) as its antagonist.

The film grossed $880.9 million and was followed by Far From Home, which came out in 2019. In this film, the protagonist is hired by Mysterio to stop the Elementals. It became the first Spider-Man film to mint $1.1 billion at the box office. No Way Home was the next installment in the franchise, and it was released in 2021. Just like the previous ones, the film was a critical and commercial success.

Are you excited about Bernthal's casting for Spider-Man: Brand New Day?